MPCC granted events center zoning variance

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Board of Zoning Adjustment approved a parking variance request from McCook Community College during its regular meeting, Monday evening, at City Council Chambers. The college had requested the ability to include on-street parking spaces in its calculations for the events center scheduled to break ground in April of 2011.

The current zoning ordinance would require the college to provide 300 off-street parking spaces for its proposed events center at Kelly Park. Their site plan provides only 131 new parking spaces. The zoning board authorized the college to use both on- and off-street parking in its calculation, which would bring the parking total to 367 spaces.

Board members and college representatives discussed the additional parking spaces the events center would provide to the area, specifically mentioning the benefit during high school football games. They also noted that problems could occur when the events center had a scheduled event the same evening of a football game, but they ultimately agreed those times would be rare and still more than manageable considering the benefit gained the rest of the time.

Board member Keith Delano said the scenario, "looked like a win-win situation," prior to the board voting unanimously to approve the variance.